Matthew e



(No Model.)

M. R. MOORE FLANGING MACHINE.

No. 318,785. Patented May 26, 1885.

/. fi i N. PETERS, Phowmim nvmr. wfiningm D c UNITED STATES PATENT rrrca,

MATTHEYV It. MOORE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FILANGING-MACHINE.

EEPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,785, dated May 26, 1885.

Application filed January 23, 1885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, MATTHEW R. Moons, of Indianapolis, Marion county, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and use 5 fat Improvements in Flanging-lliachines, of

which the following is a specification.

My machine is adapted to treat hot iron of proper thickness and size to serve for the end plates of steam-boilers. It is peculiar in its provisions for producing the smoothly-turned flanges on boiler ends of other forms than round. The entire class of boilers known as locomotive, as also many analogous boilers having internal furnaces, require a plate for the'front which, although its outline may be curved to a large radius at and near the top, is nearly rectangular in its lower part, the corners being rounded on a small radius. I will describe my machine as equipped to produce boiler ends of such form. I have in Letters Patent issued to me, dated June 10, 1884, No. 299,997, set forth machinery for successfully and smoothly turning flanges on hot iron plates when the forms required are exactly circular. 2 5 In the machine there described the plate, properly heated ,is drawn from the fire and clamped quickly upon a horizontally-revolving former, which compels it to turn. A roller then presses downward gradually on the overhanging edge, the inclination of the roller being gradually changed as the edge metal is depressed until the roller is in the upright position, and the flange is correspondingly turned downward at right angles to the main body of the plate. My present machine acts on a similar principle. I mount the roller and its immediate connections on a sliding carriage, and cause the carriage to move toward and from the axis of the revolving former by a cam-groove in the under side of the former, which engages with a roller turning on an upright pin setin an arm of the carriage. In my said patent of JunelO, 1884, I described as a modification a provision for turning irregular flanges. By the present means the motion is more regular and reliable, and theplate is flanged more evenly, and the flanging to the required form and size is attained more exactly.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invcntion.

Figure l is a side elevation with the parts in position for use. This figure shows the plate on the former flanged. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine with the means which hold down the plate swung away or otherwise removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts where they occur in both figures.

A is a stationary bed, of cast-iron or other suitable material. Bis a stout vertical shaft, turned by suitable machinery below, (not represented,) and carrying rigidly mounted on its upper extremity a former, C, which performs the important functions of supporting the end and inner face of the thin metal 2, which is flanged thereon, and of not only giving the required rotatory motion thereto, so asto present all portions of its overhanging edge successively to the action of the roller, but also, by means of a peculiarly formed groove, 0, on its under face, (shown in dotted lines,) moving the carriage backward and forward, so as to hold the fianging-roller M in the proper relation to the irregular outline of the former at all points in each revolution.

D is an arbor mounted in bearings above, (not represented,) which may, if preferred, be a swinging crane.

F is a follower. connected to D by a ball joint, G. Means not represented)as, for example, a strong nut turned by a suitable hand-wheelare provided for raising and lowering the arbor D, and with it the follower F, so as to rapidly and effectively press the skel p or hot blank 1) upon the former to cause it to be revolved and flanged, and to rapidly and easily lift the follower F out of engagement, and, if desired, to swing or otherwise move it to one side to allow the flanged plate 1) to be easily removed.

H is a carriage, capable of being traversed easily backward and forward on the ways a, which may be either grooves or ridges on the upper face of the body A.

I is a vertically-sliding carriage mountedin upright ways in the carriage H, and capable of being adjusted up and down by means of the screw Z. The face of the carriage I which is presented toward the former G is hollowed and equipped to form a strong support and guide for a stout rocking piece, K, which carries on a stud the loosely-mounted roller M. Each edge of the rocking pieceKis equipped with a toothed segment, K, which is engaged by wheels L on a transverse shaft, L, supported in bearings in the carriage I, and equipped with a hand-wheel, L", by which it may be strongly turned. The lower portion of the carriage H extends inward past the rocking piece K, and its inner end or arm, H, is provided with a strong stud, which carries a loosely-mounted roller, H The under face of the former O is grooved to receive the roller H As the former O revolves it imparts to the carriage H, through the roller H a sliding motion backward and forward on the guide a. The cam-groove in the lower face of the former O is of suitable section to receive the roller H easily, and is produced in such curves on the former that the roller H being engaged therein imparts the right motion to the carriage H and its connected parts I K to induce a fair bearing of the roller M against the periphery of the former (J, only sufficient space being allowed for the thickness of the flange which is turned down. At the commencement of the operation the rocking piece K and its roller M are in the highest position, that in dicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

To produce the required irregular flange, a properly-shaped skelp or blank, of suitable tough iron, is heated in a broad furnace, not represented,) and the follower F being out of the way the blank is drawn from the furnace and rapidly placed in position on the former O, and the follower F lowered into contact therewith. I prefer that the former be stopped while the blank is correctly placed thereon, but it may be practicable to correctly place the blank with the former in tolerably rapid rotation. Then the blank is in position and the follower down thereon, the blank partakes of the revolving motion of the former and presents at first its plane edge overhanging about auniform extent beyond the edge of the former O quite around. Thus conditioned, with the carriage H, and consequently the roller M,traversed toward and from the shaft B to correspond with the contour of the former O, the operator rapidly turns the hand-wheel L and thus through the gear wheels L acting on the segment K, brings thelatter, and consequently the roller M, gradually into the position shown in strong lines in Fig. 1. In effecting this movement the overhanging edge of the metal 1) is turned gradually downward and flanges the metal, leaving it in the condition required for subsequently riveting this boiler-head firmly to the adjacent plates of the boiler, as will be readily understood. The periphery of the former 0 should be rounded in cross-section at its 'upper edge, and the roller M should, by giving the proper form to the cam-groove G, be worked to press the metal correctly upon its curved periphery. IVhen properly operated, the machine will produce a flange on the edge of the metal 1) which shall apply exactly against the entire surface of the periphery of 0. So soon as the operation is completed, the carriage K, with its roller M, is raised into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the follower F is elevated, and the flanged iron 1) is removed from the former and set aside to cool, care being taken not to deform the shape.

The carriage I may be raised and lowered by the screw Z to bring the roller M into the best working position.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of the machine without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I can provide exchangeable formers G, with means for conveniently removing each and substltuting another to be properly turned by the same shaft B. The follower F may be of a form corresponding to that of the former C, but smaller. The machine may be worked with a round follower of a suitable small diameter. One or both the studs on which the rollers M and H are mounted may be adjustable in their respective seats,to secure a just sufficient pressure of the roller M against the flange when formed of different thicknesses. I propose to apply provisions for centering the hot blank or skelp with a uniform breadth projecting over the several edges of the former O. For producing a flange which shall extend only part of the way around a plate, machinery of any ordinary or suitable character may be pro vided for reversing the rotatory motion of the shaft B at certain intervals, either by the attendant or automatically. The former C may be removed and a new one of a different size and form substituted. I propose to}'provide a former for each size and style of boiler end required, care being taken to properly modify the contour of the cam-groove which receives the roller H in each, so as to insure a just sufficiently firm pressure of the roller M against the flange as it is turned down around each of the several forms. Other means than the follower F may be provided for holding the hot plate 1) properly upon the former. analogous to the top pressing-roller shown in Fig. 7 of my said patent of June 10, 1884, may serve.

The peculiarities of the boiler-head produced it is designed to make subject-matter for a separate application.

I claim as my invention 1. The revolving irregular former 0, having a groove, 0, and the holder F, capable of also revolving, in combination with each other and with the carriage H and roller 11*, traversing on fixed ways toward and from the axis of O, and with a roller, M, and means for carrying the latter strongly downward and changing its inclination so as to form the irregular flange required against the periphery of O, as herein specified.

2. The revolving shaft 13, irregular former 0, having the groove 0 and follower F and its operating means, in combination with each IIO A device other and a reciprocating carriage, H, having 10th day of J anuary, 1885, in the presence of an arm, H, and roller H vertically-adjustable two subscribing witnesses. earriageI roekingpieceKK roller andop- J Y erating means LL L", arranged for j 0113+, opem- MATTHEW MOORE 5 tion as herein specified. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set W. O. DEY, my hanctet New York city, New York, this CHARLES R. SEARLE. 

